Joel Ajayi

The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, OFR, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to fostering strategic partnerships that promote evidence-based fiscal reforms, capacity building, and sustainable national development.

Dr. Shehu made this known while receiving the Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Oduma Orji Oduma, and members of the University’s management team who came on  a courtesy visit to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja today Wednesday 29th July, 2026.

Speaking, the Chairman described the visit as timely and significant, noting that collaboration between government institutions and academia remains indispensable in addressing Nigeria’s evolving fiscal and economic challenges.

He stated that RMAFC emphasised its commitment to promoting innovative ideas that strengthen fiscal governance, improve resource allocation, and support sustainable national development to promoting innovative ideas capable of strengthening fiscal governance, improving resource allocation, and supporting sustainable national development. Dr. Shehu commended the NOUN for its pioneering role in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and acknowledged the University’s nationwide impact in expanding access to quality higher education.

He assured the delegation that the Commission would objectively evaluate the University’s requests, particularly regarding its unique operational model and remuneration concerns. He disclosed that the Commission would undertake a comprehensive job evaluation of NOUN and comparable university positions, including labour market benchmarking and fiscal impact analysis, to determine the feasibility of any specialised salary structure or differentiated allowances for ODL personnel.

The Chairman further emphasised that every recommendation would be guided by empirical evidence, national interest, and the Commission’s constitutional mandate to ensure fairness, equity, and fiscal sustainability.

In his speech, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oduma Orji Oduma, commended RMAFC for granting the delegation an audience and highlighted the University’s desire to establish a long-term strategic partnership with the Commission.

He proposed the establishment of a Centre for Fiscal Studies and Policy for Revenue Studies which would serve as a national hub for research, policy development, revenue forecasting and modeling, fiscal impact assessment, and evidence-based policy recommendations to support government reforms.

Professor Oduma further offered the University’s expertise in developing digital learning platforms and capacity-building programmes for fiscal officers, revenue administrators, and public servants across the federation. He noted that with over 128 study centres, robust ICT infrastructure, digital libraries, satellite connectivity, and online examination platforms, NOUN has the capacity to deliver nationwide professional training efficiently.

The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted the peculiar nature of Open and Distance Learning, stressing that the University’s operations require substantial recurring investments in ICT infrastructure, learning management systems, digital libraries, online assessment platforms, and continuous 24-hour service delivery. He therefore appealed for consideration of a specialised remuneration framework that adequately reflects these unique operational realities.

Professor Oduma also provided assurances on the quality of NOUN graduates, noting that a significant percentage of the University’s graduates are gainfully employed while emphasising the institution’s commitment to continuous quality assurance, stronger academic collaborations, and improved graduate employability.

Hon. Muhammed Kabeer Usman, the Federal Commissioner for Gombe State, welcomed the proposed collaboration as a mutually beneficial initiative to strengthen institutional capacity and enhance public sector efficiency.

The federal commissioner representing Ogun State, Hon. Akeem Amosun, also observed that research-driven policy formulation remains essential for effective governance and encouraged both institutions to translate their discussions into practical programmes that would benefit the nation. He also stressed the importance of ensuring that any remuneration review is supported by objective data, fiscal sustainability, and equity across the public service.

Also speaking, the Director of Allocation and Fiscal Efficiency, Dr. Umar Usman Kukankada, MNI, underscored the importance of evidence-based policy decisions in fiscal administration.

He disclosed that the Commission would require detailed operational documentation from NOUN, including information on ICT and ODL expenditures, staffing structure, adjunct faculty arrangements, operational allowances, the University’s network of study centres, and graduate employability indicators to facilitate comprehensive assessment.

Dr. U. K. further stated that the Commission would prepare and evaluate a detailed proposal on the establishment of the proposed Centre for Fiscal Studies and the digital training platform. According to him, the proposal would clearly define the objectives, governance structure, scope of collaboration, expected deliverables, implementation timeline, and preliminary financial implications.

He reiterated that such data-driven analysis would enable the Commission to make informed decisions regarding resource allocation, remuneration, and future collaboration between both institutions. The meeting concluded with both organisations expressing a strong commitment to deepening collaboration in research, policy development, capacity building, digital learning, and fiscal governance. It was agreed that technical engagements would continue to refine the partnership framework and translate the proposals into actionable programmes that would contribute to Nigeria’s fiscal and socio-economic development.

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